


That Stormy Night

by Ladibard_Wordsmith28



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Boss/Employee Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Sex, Emotionally Repressed, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Love Confessions, Ministry Employee Percy Weasley, Ministry employee Pansy Parkinson, Morning After, Morning Cuddles, Past Draco Malfoy/Pansy Parkinson, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Realistic, Storms, Stranded, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:28:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25885858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladibard_Wordsmith28/pseuds/Ladibard_Wordsmith28
Summary: Stranded in an Island, without magic, having to share a one-room cottage, Boss Percy Weasley and his secretary Pansy Parkinson finally accept the fact that not only do they care about each other, but they love each other more than they have allowed themselves to believe. (AU) (one-shot)
Relationships: Pansy Parkinson/Percy Weasley
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	That Stormy Night

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The regular disclaimer still stays in place, I owe nothing but the AU and OC. The rest belongs to JKR. My mind lives in the Harry Potter fanfiction world though my body is still thankfully anchored in the monotonous reality of existence. My themes, plotline, and storyline may, therefore, get indirectly influenced by many of the brilliant fanfiction writers on this site. And I humbly bow to such creative genius who give me much needed literary pleasures to see through the toils of mundane life. Lastly, I would like to thank Fairest of the Rare (18+), Weasleys, witches & writers, and Hermione's Nook admins to tempt me into thinking out of the box. Reviews would encourage this introvert writer to peep out of her literary closet.

**That Stormy Night**

“Parkinson?” Percy Weasley knocked at the bathroom door and pressed his ear at the withered wooden surface. Wishing for the umpteenth time, his wand and magic were working. A rare seismic activity in the island off the coast of Ireland had interfered with the magical fields thereby nullifying the small magical communities’ capacities to perform any magic. Researchers and the Ministry appointed experts had assured things will get back to normal once the tremors are gone. 

Percy Weasley and his secretary Pansy Parkinson were sent by the ministry to oversee the whole thing. Since transport could only be arranged by the muggle way, which consisted of two ferry boats, they had sent the others back and chose to stay back. Only one small cottage was empty in the entire Island and the people of the community were happy enough when Percy had agreed to spend the night there. Parkinson had just nodded her assent.

When she didn’t answer, he pushed the door open and blanched. Scrambling over the floor, he had lifted the woman out of the filled bathtub, only to be punched on his face.

“What was that for?” he screamed holding his nose.

“What were you trying to do?” the irate woman shouted back.

Percy looked at her then turned and grimaced. Parkinson might not bother about being thoroughly naked but he was brought up as a gentleman. He spat back, tilting his head up, moving his jaw gingerly,” I thought you had drowned!”

“In a bathtub! That’s the worst way to commit suicide!” she hissed back. Percy opened his eyes and found he could see her reflection clear enough in the large mirror mounted upon the opposite wall of the bathtub. He was about to turn his head, mortified, but then something caught his eyes. 

“Uhm, Parkinson? Were you hurt during the expedition?”

Pansy had managed to pull the plug of the tub after a short struggle and answered,” No, why?”, toweling herself habitually.

“Percy gulped,” Those marks…”

She turned and looked at his reflection on the mirror and stated drily,” Whip marks.”

Percy’s head snapped back and he looked at her in shock,” What? When?”

“Mr. Weasley please don't bother yourself” she pursed her lips and tried to walk past the man. But he had grabbed her arm and halted her midway. 

“Don't bother! Someone is torturing my Secretary and all you have to say is “don’t bother”. Is someone blackmailing you! Is it Crabbe, Malfoy, Nott? Who is it?”

She pulled at her hand and screamed,” Nobody. It's nobody.”

He held her firmly and warned,” Parkinson, you will tell me right now, who did this to you, and why on earth they look so raw?”

She bit her lip and stood still.

“I asked you a question, Pansy?”

She smirked,” So now it’s Pansy?”

“Don’t test my patience, give me their names!”

“Fine, my late parents.”

She watched his face turn blank and continued, unaffected by the waves of emotions that welled up in his eyes, "Those marks are to remind me for the rest of my life, how ungrateful a daughter I am. How pathetic I am, that I couldn’t even snag Malfoy as a husband.”

He had let go of her hand by this time. Twisting her wrist a couple of times she walked out, tying the towel around herself snuggly.

From the open doorway, Percy couldn’t help, but watch how emotionlessly the woman padded around the room. She opened her bag and brought out a loose-fitting dress, dropped the towel over the only chair, and started preparing herself for the night. He tried hard to think, she was just pretending he was not watching her, but failed. 

She must have sensed his unease, so she started talking in general,” Mr. Weasley, not all of us have rosy homes. Some of us have mansions with empty rooms and families with cold hearts.”

“You are not pathetic.” He blurted out.

The woman stiffened at that, her hairbrush inches away from her long black wet tresses. She looked back at him and replied tersely,” I don't need your pity. I didn’t apply from the clerical job at the ministry five years ago to be pitied by wizards who thought I could be trampled over. I don't need to sleep around to get my promotions. I might not be a Granger, but I am a Slytherin, I do have brains, and I use them well enough, I work hard and harder, till I can't even tell whether it is day or night. So don’t you dare pity me!” Her eyes flashed in anger.

It only made Percy more confident. He tilted his head up and walked into the small room. It was indeed a one man’s cottage. There was a small kitchenette, a small table, a couch, and a single cot, apart from the bathroom of course. He had informed her he would take up the couch and she could sleep on the cot. She didn't say anything to that. 

“Neither do I pity you nor do I think you are pathetic,” he replied calmly.

“That’s something new...Look while on the job, you are the boss, but I don’t entertain people poking fun at me or trying to shove my face in the gutter after office hours,” she warned.

When Percy continued to look at her, she rolled her eyes and turned to put away her overnight duffle bag under the bed. A storm raged outside and the muggle met office had already forecasted heavy showers.

She never noticed the red-haired man had crossed the room until he had once again grabbed at her arm and had turned her. The next thing had surprised her more. Percy Weasley, the person she had secretly admired the head boy she had a crush on, the youngest ministry official she secretly hero-worshipped was kissing her. He was not really rough, but his lips were moving with confidence. She felt weak and something inside her snapped into pieces. The man on the other hand was on the way to deepen the kiss…

Percy felt his cheek burn and his head snap, as her palm connected with his and his ears buzzed within seconds of her slapping him. The slender witch was strong enough, he thought. He slowly looked back deciding, he was not going to apologize to her. He knew her well enough. He knew she cared for him. He was also aware of her thoughts regarding him. He had appointed her out of fifty applicants because he had discovered Pansy Parkinson had truly evolved to be a stoic witch who could manage his office work much like McGonagall managed Hogwarts under Albus Dumbledore. 

But before he could repeat his words, the witch had flung her arms around him and was sobbing earnestly. She whispered against his collar, “I am sorry, I never wanted to...I try hard to act indifferent, but I am not this person…”

Cupping her face with his hands, he stared at her fondly. Rubbing his thumb in an effort to wipe off those tears, Percy whispered,” You are not pathetic, and only a fool will pity you. You are a strong woman, who has the capacity to make a place of her own. You don't need to rely on fame. Pansy, those whip marks don't define you. But for the last one and a half years, you have redefined me. I no longer look back and find myself unsure of my shadows. I rather see you staring at me, confidently. And gather my strength from that. I am not going to apologize for kissing you. Because I wanted to do that for a while.”

She sniffed and swayed overwhelmed by his honesty. In an uncharacteristically small voice, she pleaded,” I don't remember that last time, I kissed someone and it meant something in return...will you, can you, I mean, will it be frowned upon, if I ask you to kiss me, again?”

When he woke up, Percy arched his back and found it was indeed daybreak, the storm had finally passed. He felt long strands of hair tickling him under his chin and over his chest. Squeezing his arms around the equally naked witch, he smiled when she mumbled against his skin,” Five minutes more, pwease.”

He chuckled and dropped a loud kiss on her head. Visions of last night made him blush ever so slightly. After he had kissed her, he had done a couple of things he never imagined doing even with his once long term girlfriend Clearwater. After Hogwarts, they had parted ways amicably. She had moved to the States and he had landed at his dream job at the Ministry. 

In short, he had made love to this fascinating woman. But in minute details, he could recall, every mole on her body. He could trace her scars on a plain paper...Parkinson was not like what the world thought her to be. She was a sensual witch. She was a cunning secretary, who would kill to save him if it ever comes down to it.

“Percy?”

“Uhm?”

“You are thinking aloud.”

“Sorry.”

“Is this the time when you go back pretending this thing never happened and then you start acting weird around me?” the witch whispered, sounding apprehensive.

Rolling over, till he had successfully pinned her under him, he hovered inches away from her face,” Pansy Parkinson, I don't do one night stands. I had a steady girlfriend for six years while in Hogwarts. After that, I didn’t bother dating, never did I need to hire a woman to attend ministry galas. I don't really care anymore what the world thinks or says behind my back. And you know all of this.”

She nodded,” I know,” and pursed her lips.

“If you do know this much about me, then why are you still wasting your precious time by staring back at me, instead of giving me that wonderful morning kiss, I have been daydreaming about?”

She had started giggling halfway through his speech, and Percy had joined her. 

Perhaps after their third or fourth heated kiss, Pansy had mumbled over his nose,” Good Morning.”

“Indeed you look more beautiful in the morning.”

She had rolled her eyes and had tried to get up, muttering, looking out of the window,” Finally the storm has passed, I hope we can go home now, Hey!”

Pulling her back against his chest, Percy growled in his patent bossy tone,” Parkinson, I want you to note this down, from now onwards your home is exactly where my heart lies,” pointing his finger over his chest,” do you have anything to add to that?”

Pansy felt her eyes well up, she beamed like a child and whispered,” I like my new home, thank you very much, Mr. Weasley.”

  
  
  



End file.
